H.R. 5842: Voices for Environmental Justice Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-02-11 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-02-11 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Voices for Environmental Justice Act

Plain summary

Voices for Environmental Justice Act This bill authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to award grants to eligible entities to participate in decisions impacting the health and safety of their communities in connection with an actual or potential release of a covered hazardous air pollutant. Additionally, the bill authorizes the EPA to award grants to eligible entities to participate in decisions impacting the health and safety of their communities relating to the permitting or permit renewal of a solid waste disposal facility or hazardous waste facility. An eligible entity must be a group of individuals who reside in a community that (1) is a population or community of color, an indigenous community, or a low-income community; and (2) is in close proximity to the site of an actual or potential release of a covered hazardous air pollutant. Covered hazardous air pollutants include those listed on the Toxics Release Inventory or those identified as carcinogenic by an assessment under the Integrated Risk Information System of the EPA.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Voices for Environmental Justice Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Paul Tonko (D-NY)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr5842.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr5842 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116